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Suspects accused of taking toddler sign extradition back to Van Buren

Van Buren Police say Layla Munholland has been found safe, her mother arrested

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Updated: 3:59 PM CDT Jul 19, 2016

Courtesy Layla's family

Chelsea and daughter Layla Munholland

SOURCE: Courtesy Layla's family

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Suspects accused of taking toddler sign extradition back to Van Buren

Van Buren Police say Layla Munholland has been found safe, her mother arrested

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Updated: 3:59 PM CDT Jul 19, 2016

VAN BUREN —

UPDATE July 19, 2016: Chelsea Munholland and Herbert Thomas voluntarily signed extradition to be brought back to Van Buren, according to Lt. Stephen Staggs with the Van Buren Police Department.

Munholland and Thomas will be brought to Arkansas from White County, Illinois, "sometime over the next week or so," according to Lt. Staggs.

The two will answer charges in Van Buren from the incident in which three-year-old girl Lalya Munholland was taken from her home, according to police. Agencies in Illinois will not file charges against them in that state.

-------------From July 15, 2016:

*UPDATE: Van Buren Police say Layla Munholland has been recovered safely in Grayville, Illinois by Illinois State Troopers. Her mother, Chelsea Munholland has been arrested, and the mother's boyfriend is undergoing questioning.

Earlier story: An Ambert Alert was issued Friday, after three-year-old Layla Munholland was taken from her home in Van Buren early Friday morning, according to police.

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Layla is about 3 feet tall, with curly reddish brown hair and blue eyes. She was wearing pink pajamas the last time she was seen. The pajamas had hearts and green frogs on them.

Layla's mother, Chelsea Munholland, is suspected by police in Layla's abduction. Chelsea may be traveling with her boyfriend, Herbert Allen Thomas, according to police. Recent debit card activity shows that Chelsea Munholland likely traveled through Stillwell, Oklahoma, at 3:30 a.m. Friday and was last in Westville, Oklahoma, according to the Arkansas State Fusion Center.

Chelsea is 5'8" and has blonde hair and green eyes. She was last seen wearing dark blue shorts and a blue hoodie. Herbet Allen Thomas is 6'3" with brown hair and hazel eyes.

Police said a car was stolen from the home. It is a grey charcoal 2006 Toyota Corolla. with a sunroof and the Arkansas License Plate 245 USV.

Layla was taken from her home on Cane Hill Street, where she lives with her great-grandmother. Her great-grandmother, Colleen Perry has custody, police said.

Layla went to bed with her great-grandmother Thursday night. When the great-grandmother woke up at about 5 a.m., Layla was gone and the window screen was torn.

Munholland doesn't have custody of Layla because of Chelsea's behavior, Perry said.

Chelsea was expected to report to prison soon on a reporting bond, Van Buren police said. She was waiting for an open bed in the Arkansas Department of Corrections on narcotics and theft charges, according to Arkansas State Police. Chelsea has a history of drug use, police said.

If you know where they might be, please call Van Buren Police at 479-474-1234